This invention relates to an improved instruction input device, particularly to an low cost instruction input device with a flexible layer in hardness lower than a shaft and a force-bearing layer to thereby provide distinct signals.
For simplifying operativity of programs used in the word processor or the internet, etc, a third axis (Z-axis) instruction input device is widely applied in a mouse or a notebook computer.
As show in FIG. 2, the instruction input device contains a baseboard having a plurality of predetermined movable pivot holes, a shaft penetratingly mounted in the movable pivot holes having a free end assembled and jointed with a instruction output switch, and a rotatable body coaxial with the shaft, wherein the other end of the shaft is fixedly jointed to a press-contact piece; and, an instruction actuation switch is located in action range of the press-contact piece. The rotatable body is driven to effect the instruction output switch to provide an output signal, or, is pressed to cause the shaft moving down that enables the press-contact piece to trigger the instruction output switch for effecting an output signal and rebounded back to its original state by restoring force of an elastomer disposed underneath the rotatable body.
The defects of abovesaid mechanism may be induced as the following:
1. Design of the instruction input device is too complicated with too many components to result in high cost, difficult assembly, and bulky volume of a mouse that usually causes unpleasant operation and a fatigue hand.
2. As the instruction input switch is composed of photo-grid pieces and cooperative sensing switches to read output signals, therefore, when the rotatable body is pressed to have the photo-grid pieces displaced synchronously, it is liable that the instruction input switch and the instruction actuation switch may transmit a signal concurrently to confuse reading of the instructions. This is especially true after use of a long-term period that may create offset between the movable pivot holes and the shaft to offer erroneous signals.
In order to improve abovesaid imperfections, another instruction input device shown in FIG. 1 has been developed later on trying to eliminate error readings by fixedly disposing the rotatable body and the instruction output switch at the same shaft on the baseboard, extending a press-contact piece from one side of the baseboard at a position corresponding with the instruction actuation switch, and, disposing one set of springs underneath the baseboard. It is known from FIG. 1, the revised design farther complicates the baseboard with a heavier weight and a bulkier volume, and moreover, for matching height of the shaft, the instruction output switch must be additionally wired to couple with the circuit board to further increase complexity of component disposition.
The primary object of this invention is to provide an instruction input device having a softer flexible layer and a coaxial force-bearing layer disposed at a common shaft, and when the force-bearing layer is pressed on its top end, the flexible layer will in turn press an instruction actuation switch via the force-bearing layer to effect a distinct output signal.
This invention contains a baseboard having a set of pivot-jointing portions formed with two correspondent pivot holes for penetratingly disposing a shaft with a free end assembled and jointed to an instruction output switch. A flexible layer is assembled and jointed on surface of the shaft, and a coaxial force-bearing layer is further overlapped onto the flexible layer, wherein an instruction actuation switch is disposed on the baseboard at a proper position within reachable action range of the force-bearing layer. By applying the abovesaid simplified architecture, a mouse or a notebook computer with reduced weight, thickness, and size in a relatively lower cost is obtainable.